Another place sparks heated debate over LGBTQ+ guide: 'It should not be the norm'

For some, it is one of the most natural things in the world. For others, words like queer, gender identity and pronouns are something very distant.

So how should staff in public institutions, for example, relate to people who do not identify with their biological sex?

In the Region of Southern Denmark, an LGBTQ+ handbook for healthcare staff has created major disagreement and protests.

Read also: Regional council wants to rewrite controversial LGBTQ+ handbook ( https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/indland/reels/regionsraad-vil-omskrive-omstridt-lgbtq-haandbog )

In Aalborg Municipality, politicians are currently dealing with a similar case: A guide intended to help professional staff talk to children and young people about their gender identity.

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Must not be forced

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City council member Mikael Simonsen (LA) fears how the guide will be used, because in his view, gender identity is not something all children should have to relate to.

- It should be a guide that is brought out in the very few cases that occur every now and then. It should not be the norm, and we need to be very aware of that, he says.

Mikael Simonsen (LA) is fine with the guide on gender identity being made. But in the vast majority of cases, it is not necessary, he says. (Photo: © Henning Bagger/Ritzau Scanpix)

The guide, titled "Chill, it’s just gender!", contains concrete advice on how staff in, for example, kindergartens and schools can talk to children about gender identity.

For Mikael Simonsen, however, it is very important that staff are not forced to do it in a specific way, he says.

Why is it so dangerous for staff to have more focus on how they generally talk to the children about this?

- If Peter is playing with guns, and Anna is playing with dolls, then that's fine. And if Peter likes to wear pink dresses, that's also fine, but it should be an assessment of each individual child.

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Approved – but with one change

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The guide is currently on the agenda of several different committees in Aalborg Municipality, which must approve it before it is sent out to staff.

The Children and Education Committee discussed and approved the guide earlier this week.

- The children who are curious about their own gender and sexuality are also the ones who most need the rest of us to be understanding and inclusive, says Jes Lunde (RV), councilor for Children and Young People.

However, there is a "but".

Because originally, the guide called for professionals to ask which name and which pronouns the children prefer.

But just as was the case with the Region of Southern Denmark's handbook for healthcare staff, a majority in the committee has chosen to make changes to the text.

Read also: 'I need to digest that view of humanity': Handbook sent back after heated debate ( https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/indland/jeg-skal-lige-sluge-det-menneskesyn-haandbog-sendt-tilbage-efter-haard-debat )

Now it states that one should take the individual situation as the starting point and assess whether it makes sense to ask the child.

- We need to have trust in the staff's professional judgment, and that they will manage to make it work themselves, says Jes Lunde about the change.

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What was changed:

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The Children and Education Committee has chosen to change one passage in the guide.

Originally it read:

*4. Use the child's or young person's own words and names*

Ask which name and which pronouns the person prefers, and do your best to use them consistently. This shows respect and recognition.

But it has now been changed to:

*4. Meet the child or young person with respect and professional consideration.*

Take the individual situation as your starting point, and use your professional judgment to assess whether and how questions about name and forms of address are relevant to bring up. Listen to the child or young person, and be attentive to what creates safety in the conversation.

Source: The Children and Education Committee in Aalborg Municipality ( https://www.aalborg.dk/politik-og-indflydelse/politiske-udvalg/boerne-og-undervisningsudvalget/vis-referat/?id=35 )

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One party will not support the change

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Some committee members believed the passage should be removed entirely, while others believed the original text should remain as it was. That is why they arrived at a compromise to change the text, explains Jes Lunde.

The only one who would not approve the change was Victor A. Holmfort from the Unity List. Among other reasons, he would not approve it because the word "pronouns" had been removed.

- The guide was made by professionals, and therefore we believe it is important to hold on to the words that have been written, he says.

Why not just trust the staff's professional assessment of each individual child?

- We don't reject that either.

- But "pronouns" is a word that both young people and professionals use, and it is important to hold on to it, he says.

Victor A. Holmfort also disagrees with Mikael Simonsen's concern that the guide could be used on all children.

- It is a guide that you can keep in the drawer and bring out when you are in doubt about something.

Warning: This article was translated by a Large Language Model, in case of doubt, you can always visit the original source.